


Lurking Shadows

by Shadowwolf2579



Series: The Heart of a Warrior [1]
Category: Warrior Cats - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-08-27 08:07:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8393782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowwolf2579/pseuds/Shadowwolf2579
Summary: This is yet another short story with my two best friends OCs and a fe of mine as well :3





	1. Part One

Russetsky had a hard kithood. Not like most kits who have their loving mother there to fuss and worry over her, no. Her mother had been mouse brained. Why? When Russetsky was just Russetkit about one moon of age, her father Otterfur had wanted to take her out and teach her some moves. Russetsky's mother stood up to him and for that she signed her deathwish. Russetsky watched them leave the nursery that day and later that day her father came back. He claimed she was hit by a monster, but Russetsky knew the truth now. 

Russetsky sat in the clearing wit hthe rest of her clan. She sat with her father, Otterfur, a large well muscled, dark brown tom with a lighter brown underside and dark green eyes. On her other side was Talonstorm, her older half brother. He was a dark brown tabby tom with light green eyes. Meanwhile she stood out being a orange tabby with deep green eyes. 

Pawsteps had caught the attention of Otterfur as he looked over to spot Badgerpaw padding over to him. "Sorry I am late. Did I miss the ceremony?" He asked as he sat down beside his mentor. "Not at all." He mewed. "It is just beginning." He purred.

While Otterfur spoke with his apprentice, Talonstorm leaned over and whispered to his younger sister. "Did father tell you yet?" Talonstorm asked.

"Tell me what?" Russetsky mewed looking to him with confusion.

"Oh he hasn't?" Talonstorm purred. "He said once he gets done with this apprentice, he should be good mate material. He wants you to take him as a mate so you can have strong kits and carry on the bloodline." Talonstorm whispered.

Russetsky flicked her tail and huffed. "I think he forgets that I have toms wrapped around my paw, no tom will ever have me nor steal my heart. Not even that little scrap of fuzz." She huffed. Talonstorm just snickered.

"Russetsky." Her name was called by the leader. She dipped her head and stood up padding forward. Her ears perked as she heard Mothstar speak the ceremonial words when assigning a new apprentice. "Thank you." She mewed dipping her head and touching noses with the little she cat apprentice known as Rosepaw. "We will start your training tomorrow." She told the she cat.

"I'm really glad I got you as an apprentice. You have taught me so much already, I won't let you down." Rosepaw mewed.

Russetsky gave a smile at this. "I'm glad to hear it. You will need that determination if you want to be a strong she cat in this clan. I'll teach you everything you need to know to be strong, and not get ran over, but also how to get toms to eat out of your paw." She purred in a hushed tone as Russetsky walked Rosepaw to the apprentice den.

Rosepaw nodded to what her new mentor said. "Trust me, i'm not easy target. I can handle anything you throw at me." Rosepaw mewed.

"Good." Russetsky purred. "I'll see you tomorrow then." She mewed as she padded off to go and get some sleep herself.


	2. Part Two

Moons had past, and now Rosepaw was Rosewater, and Badgerpaw, becamse Badgerstrike. Otterfur was right, he grew up to be a strong, and powerful tom. Otterfur pretty much was trying ot create a mini him. Russetsky rolled her eyes at the thought of having a mate like her father.

"Why does he even want me to have a mate? I'm not interested in being a queen. I don't want ot be stuck in a den for six moons and even longer then that. It seems boring and I don't want to be useless. Besides, Rosewater has seemed to catch his eye." Russetsky mewed.

"Are you convincing me or yourself?" Talonstorm asked. 

"I don't like him!" Russetsky huffed. "Arrogant furball. If I were his mate he would just screw up all my plans." She huffed. "I work hard to get the cats to trust me. If he is my mate I might lose all that and my chances to be a leader. Once I make it there I will change the clan to the way it should be." Russetsky mewed.

Talonstorm shook his head at her. He knew better. Russetsky had often brought Rosepaw out to train with Badgerpaw and Otterfur. Rosepaw and Badgerpaw were not the only two that grew close. Russetsky rather liked the little tom, but she wouldn't admit it.

Later that night, Russetsky sat out in the clearing glaring down at her paws. Her father was still bugging her about the mate thing. He had mentioned it early before he went to bed. She wished he would just leave her alone about it. She didn't need a mate.

"I haven't seen you eat today." She quickly turned around and shot a glare to the cat who ahd spoken. She soon relaxed seeing it was Badgerstrike.

She gave a little laugh. "Well you know, not all warriors have to eat everyday." She mewed as her stomach growled. 

Badgerstrike gave a soft chuckle. "Sure about that?" He asked. 

"No." She mewed. "To be honest i'm not sure about much anymore." She mewed.

"What? Why not?" He asked padding over. "I mean look at your father. He is the best warrior the clan, and I plan to be right up there with him. He also has new kits in the nursery and Talonstorm is pretty skilled. Your not bad yourself. So why be lost?" He asked.. "Don't tell me your one of them." He huffed.

"No, never would I be a soft heart, though I pretend. It gets them on my side and I can pretty easily get what I want. You would be surprised how easy Toms are influenced." She purred.

"Well when you are working with nothing but mouse brains." He offered.

She laughed again shaking her head. "So what are you doing up?" She asked.

"Can't sleep. Your father keeps mentioning I need to start picking strong mates so I can start making strong kits. He says the earlier you start the better it will be." He said.

She made a sarcastic laugh. "Go figure." She mewed with a smile.

"To be honest I was thinking of Rosewater." He mewed. 

"She is a good cat, I should know I trained her. She will be a strong good mate who will provide strong kits." She mewed. 

"Yes, I thought so as well, though I also was wondering if you would.." He trailed off looking at her.

"Be your mate?" Russetsky finished. 

"Your the only other strong female I know in this clan, and if I am to have many litters I need more then one she cat." He mewed.

"Yeah, sure why not." She mewed more of a flat tone. Her father was winning and she hated that thought. She wanted to beat that old tom and be better then him. Why? She wasn't sure relaly. 

"Great." He mewed with a purr.

"Yeah, well just don't expect me to be all lovable and what not. I'm not that type of she cat." She mewed getting up and beginning to pad back into the den. 

He gave a loud laugh. "Trust me. I have no desire for that weak, fluffy pile of fox dung." He mewed getting up to follow her into the den.


	3. Part Three

Moons have past and Rosewater was in the nursery with four kits, well three and discard. "They will be wonderful like their father." Russetsky purred to her former apprentice.

Rosewater purred up at Russetsky. "What is that? Going a bit soft?" 

Russetsky shook her head giving up on the act. "What can I say. He has a certain charm to him." Russetsky mewed as she pushed a little orange tabby kit back towards Rosewater. The kit looked exactly like Russetsky. 

"I know what you mean. He is one of the only toms in this clan that is worth having kits with." Rosewater mewed as she kicked her hind leg to push Lightkit out of her nest yet again. "Kit keeps crawling into my nest. I don't know why he keeps thinking he is mine." Rosewater mewed.

"He is blind, he probably just is confused." Russetsky joked.

"I'll drop him off in the middle of the forest and just let him find his way into a river." Rosewater muttered.

"Yeah, weak kits can effect the litter. It's best to get rid of him sooner on." Russetsky mewed.

Rosewater nodded as pawsteps caught both she cats attention. "Morning." Mewed Badgerstrike. The tom truly almost looked like a badger in cat shape.

"Morning." Both she cats mewed pretty much at the same time. "Here to see your kits?" Russetsky mewed.

Badgerstrike nodded. "Rosewater says they are doing well, they should be ready to start training soon." He mewed.

"Yeah my father plans on taking them out next wekk. He says two moons is a good age to start so they know basics when they are apprenticed." Russetsky mewed.

Badgerstrike nodded to Russetsky. He loved both his mates, and not only for kits. Over the moons he spent with them he grew closer to him which is rare for him. Russetsky even got over her little act she put up. There was rare occasions when Russetsky showed affection to him and he showed it back just to please her. He did the same with Rosewater, but it was still rare.

That is why when Russetsky hadn't gotten pregnant after like the fifth try, Badgerstrike didn't just toss her to the side. He also lied to Otterfur now wanting to shame him, or get his mate in trouble. 

Coming out of his thoughts he stared down at the kits. They were beautiful, though something about one of them stood out. It was a little orange tabby that looked exactly like Russetsky, but he knew his mate couldn't have kits. He tried and each attempt failed so he brushed it off. 

Rosewater gave a nod before yawning. "I am a bit tired." She mewed. "They kept me up a bit last night." She admitted. 

"Ah I will let you rest then." Russetsky mewed as she dipped her head to turn and leave.

"Oh Badgerstrike could you stay?" Rosewater asked. Badgerstrike nodded., and padded over to the other side of the queen and settled down without a word.

Russetsky padded out of the nursery stopping at the enterance to look back. Her gaze focused on the little tabby she kit. _Ringkit_ she spoke the name of the kit in her mind. She lifted her gaze to meet Badgerstrike's and her gaze tore away quickly before she trotted out of the den tail and head held high. _Sometimes a lie was needed to help keep the balance_. Russetsky thought. _Ringkit is in good paws now_


End file.
